Men in masks
by Kitten1313
Summary: Rene Rogers has always worked solo, her YouTube career masking her real goals. So when her editor teams her up with the new channel calling themselves Mystery Inc she's less than thrilled. Especially when ghosts from her father's past start to crawl out of the abandoned buildings around them and she learns quickly not all the monsters are men in masks. OC


I stepped down from the crumbling fence, hearing a crunch below my feet. Quickly I pulled out my camera as the building came into view. "Well, here we are at the," I stopped unsure of what to really call it. "Building." I finally answered after a pregnant pause. "So, it was like a diner at once point. A local hangout that was forgotten." After five years of this, you think I'd be used to the beginning of every video but that's what Linda is for. "A 'malt' shop. They really died out over the decades." I let out a soft chuckle as I pulled open the worn door. I struggled slightly, broken glass littering the frame before me.

Once I was in, it was basically the same thing in most of my videos. I moved the camera side to side, making sure to catch every act of vandalism, every misshapen pentagram and hail Satan. My viewers love it, though it always leaves me feeling a bit lack luster. "Alright should we try the spirit box now?" I tried not to sound bored. Was the place haunted? No, not even close. It, like many others I had come across were nothing, but urban legends and ghost stories used to scare the teenagers.

Even if it was more than that, why would a ghost bare to haunt a soda shop? My viewers though expected it. First orbs, then light play and now using the high-end radio, something. "Like always if you hear or see anything comment below. And don't forget to hit that like button." Only then did I hear something above me. My camera dropped as I scanned the ceiling above. It was dilapidated, the lights above swinging just above my head. I pressed pause, my eyes still glanced around the room. "So, we're going to come out and play, are we?" A smile grew across my face as I felt a familiar bubble rise in my stomach. A feeling that had scared my father for years, causing him to shy away from everything he knew was real.

Just as I was about to speak up again a squirrel ran out from the beams and into the darkness of the back kitchen. "Fuck." I said, shaking my head as I picked up the camera, going back to where I left off. "Anyway, let's begin."

I let it go for twenty minutes, the magic of editing would only splice out the boring bits. The normal, get out or leave now. And if it wasn't found, Linda would use her own bit of magic. "Alright guys," I smiled into the camera, smelling rain in the distance. "I'm going to wrap it up before I get soaked but til next time stay spooky and stay safe." I gave a wink and turn off the power. "Thank you." I say to the air. I was answered with a gust of wind that whipped up some of the papers on the floor. A few caught my eye, so before the first thunder rolled, I gathered a few and was out and over the fence again.

Truthfully, I'd forget about them by the time the rain started to pour, and my cellphone rang. "Hey Baby girl," the sweet voice cooed over the phone.

With a roll of my eyes I turned on the car, watching as the low beams cast horrid shadows over the crumbling building. "What did you do this time?"

"Nothing." There was a bit of play in her tone. "So, how was it?"

I watched the rain drops grow larger, "Boring." The thunder rolled above my head. "Basic vandalism, and ill repair. Crumbling and nothing on the spirit box. Is it cool?" I shrugged though I knew she couldn't see it. "Meh, it was probably cooler back in the 60s."

"Well damn someone's being very cynical today." I could tell by the typing in the background she already had my next 'assignment'. "They can't always be winners, but at least your shit is still, lower key. Like if you let me, we could totally revamp you." I could practically see her sitting up in her chair, wide red lipstick smile with a twirling pen in her fingertips just waiting for me to finally say yes.

"I'm good." I answered. I worked solo on purpose. I didn't need any new kids coming in and getting 'spooked' or worse bullshitting it more than we already did for the extra money from ads. "Thank you." I added. "So where to next my lovely little editor." I cooed back hoping to change the subject.

She paused. "Well okay since you're in the area anyway." She hummed to herself as I pulled up my GPS. "There's a few abandoned places in that county and really might as well get a few in over the next few days so in theory you could take a break next month."

"I'm actually okay with that." I answered as I slowly made my way out of the woods. I was paying more attention to not getting lost to what she was saying until I already agreed. "Wait what?"

She sighed. "New kids, show them the ropes and take them on one or two and,"

I stopped her, "Really? Are you serious?" I groaned. "What did I just say?"

"I'm not revamping you. So, calm those little tits of yours down. They're calling themselves mystery incorporated or something like that. New team, like I said and will have to work on. They're clueless. You know damn well I'd have Cody or Jake do it but they're both in California at the moment on a few 24-hour challenges because, everyone apparently needs next month off." She gave a bit of theatrics trying to seem stressed out but really who didn't want a break every now and again? Though that name they chose gave me pause.

"Why did they pick that name?" I asked pretty sure that she wouldn't know the answer. "Like you know it's fucked up to send me to a team called Mystery Inc."

With that she let out a soft groan. "Look Rene. You can ask them yourself tomorrow. It's probably an homage to your father and his friends. Or they can't be original which wouldn't be that strange since you know. YouTube."

I stopped at a light as I shifted the phone in my hand. "Fine, can you send me the location then, and I'll look at it tonight when I send you my footage." Once I hung up, I let out a groan as I threw my phone on the passenger seat. "Great." I muttered as I turned off GPS, driving up a street I knew all too well. "Playing with fire…"


End file.
